Venetsanos Winery is the oldest winery on Santorini, set on dramatic terraces above the port of Athinios with a direct caldera view.
What you gain is one of the great sunset settings on the island, a working winery with its own wine and multiple terraces to use.
What you trade is on site rooms, since this is a venue to hire rather than a hotel, so guests stay in the towns and travel in.
Venetsanos Winery sits high above the port of Athinios, a family winery founded in 1947 and considered the first built on Santorini. Its multi level terraces and an upper terrace of around two hundred and fifty square metres open straight onto the caldera and the volcano, making it one of the island's finest sunset wedding settings. The venue holds up to one hundred and twenty seated guests at round tables or one hundred and fifty for a standing reception, with an internal hall for music and shelter. There are no rooms on site, so it is a venue to hire for the celebration while guests stay in Fira, Oia and the caldera towns.
Terraces over the caldera.
Venetsanos Winery clings to the cliff above the port of Athinios, a family winery founded in 1947 by George Venetsanos and counted as the first built on Santorini. The buildings step down the slope in a series of stone terraces, and the whole place faces west across the caldera to the volcanic islets and the open sea, which makes the sunset here one of the most celebrated on the island. The estate still makes the island's Assyrtiko, so a ceremony among the vats and the vines comes with the winery's own wine on the table.
For a wedding the venue offers real versatility across its levels. The upper terrace of around two hundred and fifty square metres is the headline ceremony and dinner space with the full caldera view, smaller terraces take the aperitif and the reception, and an internal hall with good acoustics holds the music or shelters the party if the meltemi wind picks up. The venue seats up to one hundred and twenty guests at round tables and holds up to one hundred and fifty for a standing reception, which makes it ideal for an intimate to mid sized celebration.
The honest truth is that this is a winery to hire, not a hotel, so there are no rooms on site and guests stay in Fira, Imerovigli, Oia or the caldera villages and travel in. Santorini in high summer is hot and very crowded, and sunset slots book far ahead, so the shoulder months and an early reservation are the smart play. What you receive is one of the most dramatic sunset settings in the Aegean and the character of a true working winery.
The practical things, told straight.
A wedding at Venetsanos is a venue hire with catering brought in, so the spend depends heavily on the guest count, the menu and the production. Treat every figure as indicative and confirm directly, since the season and the sunset slot move both price and availability.
What it costs
As an indicative November 2025 guide, a Santorini caldera winery wedding for around one hundred guests commonly runs between EUR 30,000 and EUR 90,000 all in, covering venue hire, catering, drinks and production. A smaller intimate party sits lower and a fuller production rises from there, so request a quote for your dates and numbers.
The spaces
An upper terrace of around two hundred and fifty square metres takes the ceremony and dinner with the full caldera view, smaller terraces host the aperitif and reception, and an internal hall holds the music or shelters the party from the wind.
Getting there
Santorini airport is around twenty to thirty minutes away, and the winery sits just above the Athinios ferry port. Plan guest transfers, since the island roads are busy in season and the venue is a drive from the caldera towns.
Staying over
There are no rooms at the winery, so guests stay in Fira, Imerovigli, Oia or the caldera villages and travel in for the celebration. Book accommodation early, since the island fills fast in the wedding season.
Enquire about Venetsanos Winery.
We will check Venetsanos Winery's availability for your date and sunset slot, share a realistic all in cost, and introduce the planner who knows Santorini best.
Venetsanos rewards a planner who knows Santorini.
A winery hire on the caldera is glorious and tightly timed around the sunset, with the catering, the rentals, the transfers and the wind all to manage. A planner who works Santorini and knows Venetsanos will run the day end to end and keep the spend honest. Tell us your date and guest count and we will introduce the right one.
Browse our planner directoryA wedding at Venetsanos Winery, answered.
How many guests can Venetsanos hold?
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The winery seats up to one hundred and twenty guests at round tables, or holds up to one hundred and fifty for a standing reception, across its terraces. Confirm the exact seated capacity for your chosen layout directly with the venue.
Does it have the caldera and sunset view?
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Yes. The terraces face west across the caldera to the volcano and the open sea, so the upper terrace in particular is one of the island's celebrated sunset settings. Sunset slots book far ahead, so reserve early.
Can guests stay at the winery?
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No. Venetsanos is a venue to hire rather than a hotel, so there are no rooms on site. Guests stay in Fira, Imerovigli, Oia or the caldera villages and travel in for the celebration.
How much does a wedding here cost?
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As an indicative guide, a caldera winery wedding for around one hundred guests commonly runs between thirty thousand and ninety thousand euros all in, covering venue hire, catering, drinks and production. Treat figures as indicative and confirm directly.
When is the best time to marry here?
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May, June and September give warm light and a gentler island, while July and August are hot and very crowded. The shoulder months are the kinder choice, and a sunset slot should be booked well ahead.
Photography is licensed stock from Unsplash, shown to evoke the setting. It does not depict a specific venue.
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